


Angel with a Shotgun

by silver_wolf1249



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Oneshot, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 20:26:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4536144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_wolf1249/pseuds/silver_wolf1249
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur would do anything for his beloved husband. Even if it meant he was going to be sent to hell when he died, even if it meant killing everyone and anyone who tried to oppose him, he would do it. After all, Merlin was his everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Angel with a Shotgun

**Author's Note:**

> P.S. This is my first remotely angsty fic, so if it's bad, blame it on my awful writing skills. Still hope you like it though.

_I'm an angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun, An angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun. Get out your guns, battle's begun. Are you a saint or a sinner? If love's a fight then I shall die With my heart on a trigger._

Arthur woke up, feeling the sunlight from the window play on his skin. He heard a knock on his door, and he whispered, “Enter silently, Merlin’s still sleeping.”

Gwaine opened the door slowly as it creaked slightly on its hinges. “They’re ready, your highness.” he said miserably, his face looking distraught, “Is this really necessary?”

Arthur’s face hardened as he thought about what he was about to do. Gwaine waited patiently in front of him, tears threatening to fall from his face.

_They say before you start a war, You better know what you're fighting for. Well, baby, you are all that I adore. If love is what you need, a soldier I will be._

Arthur looked at Merlin, who was snoring softly next to him. His face looked so relaxed, and he smiled in his what was presumed as a good dream. Arthur’s face softened a bit before hardening once again. “Yes, Gwaine, this is absolutely necessary and you know it too. You just refuse to admit it.”

After a long silence, Gwaine nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Yes, your highness.”

During Gwaine’s internal battle, Arthur had already dressed, looking majestic as he always did, or tried to anyway. “Well, let’s get this over with before Merlin wakes up. Good thing he’s such a late sleeper when he doesn’t have to do any chores or anything.”

Gwaine could only nod meekly and followed Arthur out of the room.

_I'm an angel with a shotgun, Fighting 'til the war's won, I don't care if heaven won't take me back. I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe. Don't you know you're everything I have? And I wanna live, not just survive tonight._

Arthur walked to the balcony above the town square, where hundreds of people were already crowding the execution platform, which hadn’t been used once since Uther’s death. But now there stood three people, each held with arms behind their backs by executioners. The chopping blocks were already laid out in a neat row; newly sharpened, polished axes hung in sheathes on the backs of the executioners. Arthur glared at the prisoners, while also wondering where everything had gone wrong. The three prisoners each had a hood covering their face, and with a swoosh of Arthur’s hand, the executioners yanked off the hoods. The faces of the prisoners made everyone but Arthur and Gwaine gasp in horror, for there stood three of the kingdom's most beloved knights of the round table. Arthur announced to everyone, “We are all here today, for the execution of Sir Leon, Sir Elyan, and Sir Percival for the attempted assassination of me and my husband, Merlin!” With these words elicited an even greater gasp of horror, and some of disgust, towards the former knights.

“Do you have any last words?” Arthur continued, trying to look at each of them in the eye, but finding it very hard to do so.

”I hope you and that _thing_ rot in hell.” Elyan ground out. Arthur didn’t need to ask why the three had tried to kill Merlin and him. It was pretty obvious. Elyan’s father had been killed by magic, and so had Leon’s family and Percival’s entire village. All three strongly disagreed with him when he suggested to let magic be allowed to be practiced in Camelot again. Then the fateful meeting, where they had been discussing about the magic matter, and the three stood up, pulled out their swords, and attempted to kill Merlin and himself. Of course, Merlin threw them to the wall, immediately knocking them out. And here they were, now, and Arthur honestly felt crushed, no matter how angry or stern he looked on the outside. “Is that all?” he asked.

_Sometimes to win, you've got to sin. Don't mean I'm not a believer. And major Tom will sing along. Yeah, they still say I'm a dreamer._

The knights, or what used to be the knights of the round table, simply turned away from Arthur, refusing to let him see their faces. At that point, Gwaine’s wall finally broke down. He walked away from the balcony, away from the ones he used to call his friends. As tears fell down his face, he wondered why he had stayed in Camelot. Ever since his family died, he traveled around, determined not to stay in one place for too long. He had failed this rule of his the moment he had joined the fight in the pub where he met Merlin and Arthur. He began to become attached to the faithful, intriguing Merlin and the prattish, but loyal prince. He met other people once he decided to go back to Camelot after his banishment and stay a little longer. Lancelot, Percival, Leon, and Elyan had become fast friends of the now crying knight, and for once in his life, Gwaine was truly happy. But of course it was never meant to last. First Lancelot died trying to save Arthur and Merlin, and now, the rest of his friends other than Merlin and Arthur were going to be killed because they tried to kill the king and his husband. So Gwaine did what he always did whenever something bad happened to him. He ran away.

Arthur stared as Gwaine’s back disappeared into the castle. He knew what was probably going on in Gwaine’s head, and he suddenly felt bad for the last knight of the round table. But this had to be done. He had to make an example of his previous friends to make his message clear. No matter who you were, friend, foe, or innocent bystander, if you tried to kill the king or hi husband, you would die. He raised his hand the way he always saw his father’s hand during executions, and the executioners raised their axes. His hand cut through the air as he turned around, not wanting to see what would happen to his knights. The axes gleaming in the early sun before their head dropped to the ground and lolled about, and the giant sprays of blood that would burst out from their necks. He didn’t want to see them like that, so he turned around and followed Gwaine’s example, and ran away. He knew Merlin would hate him for this, maybe even resent him for years. But this was the only way to keep Merlin safe, and Arthur would do anything for his beloved husband. Even if it meant he was going to be sent to hell when he died, even if it meant killing everyone and anyone who tried to oppose him, he would do it. After all, Merlin was his everything.

_I'm an angel with a shotgun,_  
Fighting 'til the war's won,  
I don't care if heaven won't take me back.  
I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe.  
Don't you know you're everything I have?  
(I'm an angel with a shotgun)  
And I want to live, not just survive  
(Live, not just survive)  
And I'm gonna hide, hide, hide my wings tonight.

_They say before you start a war,_  
You better know what you're fighting for.  
Well, baby, you are all that I adore.  
If love is what you need, a soldier I will be.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me your opinion on this. I want to know if it was good or awful.


End file.
